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A Elbereth Gilthoniel

The name Elbereth refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Elbereth (disambiguation).

A Elbereth Gilthoniel is an aerlinn (poem) of Rivendell addressed to Varda, sung in Sindarin and in iambic tetrameter. The first stanza (the only one known) rhymes aababcc.

] ljwl7l3 s~j3h6lj

A Elbereth Gilthoniel

8~j~r7l6 ql5] 6~V7lj

silivren penna míriel

h yl6lj ]sj]7 ljl6]3

o menel aglar elenath!

6]d]l7l2 q]j]62~V7lj

Na-chaered palan-díriel

h s]j]47lt~6 l5h7]3

o galadhremmin ennorath,

e]6.Öjh8 jl j5]3h6

Fanuilos, le linnathon

6lr ]l]7 8~V 6lr ]l]7h6

nef aear, sí nef aearon!

Which translates as:

O Elbereth Starkindler(white) glittering slants downsparkling like jewelsfrom [the] firmament [the] glory [of] the star-host!To-remote distance far-having gazed from [the] tree-tangled middle-lands,Fanuilos, to thee I will chanton this side of ocean, here on this side of the Great Ocean!

The rest of it is not saved but it is possible that Oh Snow-white is a Westron translation or variation of this aerlinn. Variations of this hymn are sung throughout the book, such as the very last one written down:

...and as if in answer, from down below, coming up the road out of the valley, voices sang:

A! Elbereth Gilthoniel!silivren penna mírielo menel aglar elenath,Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth!We still remember, we who dwellIn this far land beneath the treesThe starlight on the Western Seas

Legacy

Donald Swann wrote music for this song, which can be found in the book The Road Goes Ever On where Tolkien gives also a Tengwar text of the poem in the Mode of Beleriand given above; it is also found on the accompanying CD of the latest version.